Return of Ozai
by zukofan2005
Summary: All seems well for our heroes but what happens when a sandbender finds Ozai's lamp and has him grant his wishes? Will the gang be able to defeat Ozai again? Which side will Azula choose? sequel to fanfic Fire Nation Nights
1. Fire Nation Nights

Hello my readers! Sorry it took so long for the sequel to come up, I've been really busy lately. I hope you all like this story as much as you all liked Fire Nation Nights!

disclaimer - I don't own ATLA, Aladdin, or the sequels to Aladdin

* * *

_Follow me to a place where incredible feats_

_Are routine every hour or so_

_Where enchantment runs rampant_

_Gets wild in the streets_

_Open Sesame and here we go_

_Fire Nation Nights_

_Like Fire Nation days_

_They tease and excite_

_Take off and take flight_

_They shock and amaze_

_Fire Nation Nights_

_Like Fire Nation days_

_More often than not_

_Are hotter than hot_

_In a lot of good ways_

_Pack your shield, pack your sword_

_You won't ever get bored_

_Though get beaten or gored you might_

_C'mon down stop on by_

_Hop a bison and fly_

_To another Fire Nation Night._

_Fire Nation Nights._

Two sand gliders sailed across the Si Wong desert late in the night. Driving these gliders were men in light brown clothing and rags and had white visors with rectangular slits over their eyes. The gliders moved across the sand to the Si Wong Rock, the giant mesa that inhabited the center of the dunes of the desert.

The gliders stopped as soon as they reached the giant rock and their riders jumped down onto the sand, their arms laden with treasure. One of the men tossed down a small chest that landed with a loud _thump_.

"This night has been rewarding!" One of the sandbenders said, looking down on the treasure he was holding. The other next to him laughed.

"We have never stolen so much!" He started to examine a gold piece in his hands. Neither of the thieves noticed a small hand stealing a golden cup and some other priceless treasure out of one of their pockets.

"Is this a haul or what?" said the leader of the sandbender gang, Gashuin. He picked up the small chest. Grinning greedily, he opened it but his greedy smile changed into a frown when he saw that it was mostly filled with scrolls.

"Scrolls?" he growled, "What a load of garbage!" He dropped the chest and it landed on its side, causing some of the scrolls to fall out. One of them rolled open, revealing a waterbending scroll. Gashuin picked it up with curiosity and examined it. His greedy grin reappeared on his face.

"We could make a profit from this." He said, placing the scroll into his sash for safekeeping.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something small rummaging through the pile of treasure the sandbenders raided. He walked over to it and saw that it was a lemur. It was holding a gold necklace. It hissed at him.

"You stupid monkey!" Gashuin growled. He made a grab for the lemur. It started to run away but it didn't get far as the sandbender grabbed it by the scruff of its neck and held it up. Before he could do anything to the struggling lemur, a voice called out.

"Put him down, sandbender!"

The thieves all looked around for the owner of the voice. A dark figure appeared in front of Gashuin. The figure had a blue demonic mask covering his face and some dual dao swords strapped to his back. The lemur freed itself from the sandbender's grip and flew (the sandbenders gasped when they saw that the lemur could fly) to the masked figure, landing on his shoulder.

"Who are you?" Gashuin asked with a scowl.

"You can call me the Blue Spirit." answered the masked figure.

"Get them!" Gashuin called. The sandbenders started rushing toward the Blue Spirit. They all hit him with sand blasts that exploded into a cloud of sand when the attacks and the Blue Spirit all collided. When the dust settled, the Blue Spirit was nowhere to be found.

The sandbenders looked around and at one another with confused looks on their faces and wondering where he had gone. A little bit away from them, the Blue Spirit silently appeared out of the ground without the sandbenders noticing and quietly began collecting the treasure the sandbenders had stolen. He stashed it all in a large bag and heaved it over his shoulder.

"There he is!"

The Blue Spirit looked up at the sandbenders starting to advance toward him. He dropped the bag and pulled out his swords. Some of the sandbenders scoffed and one of them shook his head, chuckling. They bent multiple waves of sand at the Blue Spirit but before the sand could even touch him, a large wave of sand passed in front of him, blocking the sand waves.

The sandbenders looked at each other again, confused. They were suddenly flying off the ground when a large sand wave knocked them back. They hit the sand and most of them lost consciousness. The ones that were still conscious, including Gashuin got to their feet but not quick enough to stop the Blue Spirit from picking up the bag filled with treasure again and running off with it behind the Si Wong Rock, the sandbenders still standing chased after him. Just when they reached the corner of the rock, however, something large and red flew over them; it was a Fire Nation war balloon. Occupying the balloon were the Blue Spirit, the lemur, and a young girl in green clothes.

"Take them out!" Gashuin yelled and he and the other sandbenders bended sand at the balloon to try and knock it out of the sky.

"Where's Snoozles with back up?" asked the girl in green, Toph.

As if to answer her question, a terrified yelling was heard.

Sokka was running down the rock, chased by buzzard wasps.

"A LITTLE HELP HERE GUYS!" he yelled out to Toph and the Blue Spirit as he made his way down.

The sandbenders diverted their attention from the war balloon to the oncoming buzzard wasps. Most of the flying predators chased Sokka down the rock while some of them flew toward the balloon. The Blue Spirit sent a wave of fire at them and they back off immediately. The sandbenders began to fight off the buzzard wasps instead of trying to take the war balloon out of the sky. Sokka chased after the war balloon.

"WAY FOR ME!" he shouted.

"Can we make him run all the way to the Fire Nation?" asked Toph with a smirk on her face.

The Blue Spirit rolled his eyes and threw a long coil of rope out of the basket. Sokka chased after the rope for a few seconds before finally grabbing it. He was dragged across the rough sand before climbing up the rope.

"Would it kill you to stop the darn balloon?" he growled.

"Would it kill you to SHUT UP AND HURRY IT UP ALREADY?" answered Toph.

Grumbling, Sokka made his way up the rope. Before he was half way up, Gashuin grabbed the rope and started to quickly climb up after Sokka.

The Blue Spirit saw the sandbender and yelled, "Hurry up!"

Sokka not noticing Gashuin, replied, "Keep your pants on, I'm climbing as fast as I can!"

The lemur jumped out of the basket and swooped down at Gashuin. It cuffed him on the side of his head with his arm/wing and he slid down the rope slightly and was starting to get dragged along the sand by his knees. The lemur landed on the rope just above Gashuin's hands and started chewing on it to cut it. Before the rope was cut, the lemur noticed the scroll in Gashuin's sash. It quickly climbed down the rope, grabbed the scroll, and climbed back up the rope.

"Hey! That's mine!" Gashuin shouted. He made a grab for the lemur but he lost his grip on the rope and fell to the ground. He rolls a couple times across the sand before stopping on his front. He looked up at the retreating war balloon and scowled.

Sokka finished climbing up the rope and climbed into the basket with the help of the Blue Spirit.

"Good haul, huh guys?" he asked when he landed in the basket.

The Blue Spirit took off his mask, revealing a pale faced, shaggy haired teenaged boy with a large comet shaped scar over the left side of his face.

Zuko saw Momo jumping into the basket with the scroll. He took it from the lemur and opened it. His eyes widened when he saw what kind of scroll it was and smiled.

"Good haul." agreed Zuko

* * *

How do you guys like the idea of Gashuin being Abis Mal? And if you don't remember who that is, he's one of the sandbenders that stole Appa


	2. Mai Visits Azula

I am so sorry for not updating! You guys must really hate me now huh?

disclaimer - I don't own atla

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Azula laid on her back in her cage with her hands behind her head. She stared at the ceiling, trying to think of an escape plan. The door opened with a creak and light poured in. She heard someone entering the cell and the door closed again, leaving her and her visitor in the dark. Thinking that it was a guard, Azula stayed where she was with her eyes closed so that she would appear to be asleep.

"Hello, Azula."

Azula's eyes opened and she sat up to look up her used-to-be-friend Mai. Mai didn't look any more different than she did the last time Azula had seen her. A month ago, she believed.

"What are you doing here?" she asked softly. She never thought that she would see Mai again, especially after her betrayal.

Mai shrugged.

"I thought that maybe you'd like a visitor." she said, "We haven't seen each other in a month, after all."

"Well, forgive me for not visiting you sooner." said Azula sarcastically, "Being a prisoner for life tends to keep you from having a social life."

"Maybe you'll get let out sooner for good behavior."

"Very funny, Mai."

"I wasn't joking."

Azula got up from the floor and stood against the bars. She glared at Mai.

"Here's an idea." she said, "How about you let me go so that I can find my father."

Mai shrugged again.

"Sorry, Azula." she said though not sounding very sorry at all, "Can't."

"Do as I say!" yelled Azula.

Mai didn't flinch. She knew that the former fire princess was no real threat anymore because of the herbs she was forced to take to keep her from bending. She decided to use this to her advantage and to speak her mind.

"Here's the thing Azula; you can't order anyone around anymore. Not the guards. Not the Dai Li. Not the servants. Not even me or Ty Lee."

Azula's eyes hardened at hearing the name of her other betrayer.

"Shut up." she muttered. Mai ignored her.

"You're powerless. You can't bend, you're in a cell, and you're father isn't around anymore."

"Shut up." Azula said louder. Again, Mai ignored her.

"Face it, Azula. You're nothing without me and Ty Lee."

"SHUT UP!" Azula screamed. If she had her bending, she would have been breathing fire. Mai flinched but kept the passive look on her face.

"You really think I'm nothing without you fools?" she growled, "You're mistaken! In fact, the two of your are nothing without me! If it weren't for me Ty Lee would be wasting away in that stupid circus. And you would be stuck in Omashu whining about how bored you are. By the way," a malicious smirk appeared on her face, "How is your parent's replacement child? I bet the little brat doesn't whine as much as you do."

_That's it!_

yelled Mai,

_I've had it!_

_I hate to be dramatic,_

_But it's time for me to fly the coop_

_Terrific!_

_Fine!_

_I'm drawin' the line_

_I'm tired of always being duped!_

Azula sneered at the knife thrower as she turned to the door and opened it.

_I was a fool to let you run the show_

_I'm cuttin' ya loose, pal!_

_Gotta go!_

_Arrividerci!_

_C'est la vie!_

_Hope all goes well!_

_I'm lookin' out for me!_

She slammed the door behind her. Azula resisted her urge to scream. Instead, she released her anger by punching the stone wall. A small blue flame came out of her fist, revealing a scorch mark on the wall. She looked down at the mark, then at her fist, then at the door and smiled when she finally thought of her escape plan.


	3. Steal

disclaimer: I don't own ATLA nor do I own Return of Jafar

* * *

Sokka, Toph, and Momo slept on the way back to the Fire Nation. Zuko stayed awake to make sure the balloon would stay up and to make sure they didn't go the wrong way or go too far from their destination. He was able to change out of his Blue Spirit outfit and into some regular red robes. He leaned against the basket to look at the stars. Looking at the stars was something he and Katara did on every clear night. She always pointed out the constellations and tell him the stories behind them. By the time they made it back to the volcano where the Fire Nation capital inhabited the sun was starting to come up.

"We're here." he told Sokka and Toph.

Sokka snorted and woke up, yawning widely. Toph, on the other hand, continued snoring. Zuko picked up the bag of gold.

"See if you can wake Toph up." he told Sokka.

Sokka yawned again and placed a hand on Toph's shoulder.

"Wake up sleeping beauty." Zuko heard Sokka mumbling. He then heard a smacking sound and an "OW!"

Zuko turned to see what was up and saw Sokka sitting up with his hands over his nose and Toph starting to wake up.

"What happened?" he asked.

"She pudched by dose!" Sokka yelled. Zuko and Toph laughed at how he was talking, causing him to glare at them. Blood was pouring from his nostrils.

"Sorry Snoozles." Toph said nonchalantly while stretching her arms over her head, "But you should know by now not to wake me."

Sokka glared at Toph but said nothing so he wouldn't get laughed at again.

"Katara will be able to take care of your nose when we get to the palace." said Zuko. "Let's just get rid of the gold."

When the balloon was right over the city Zuko, Sokka, Toph, and even Momo dug into the bag for gold and threw it into the streets. The people below were esctatic over gaining the riches. Zuko smiled when he recognized some of the less fortunate people below that were getting the gold. It's amazing how far he had come. It seemed only yesterday that he was a street rat, stealing what he needed to survive, and dodging the Dai Li agents. Now he was the prince of an entire nation again, living in a palace with a caring uncle and three friends, one of which was his girlfriend. Zuko smiled fondly when he thought of Katara. He saw her every day but he cared about her deeply.

When the bag was empty Zuko steered the balloon to the palace. After the eventful evening he was ready to lay down on his soft warm bed and get some sleep. He landed the balloon outside the palace and jumped out of the basket with Momo on his shoulder. Sokka helped Toph out before jumping out too. Zuko stuffed the scroll in his belt before walking over to the palace doors with Sokka and Toph. The guards bowed as the teens entered the palace. It felt weird for Zuko since these guards used to help the Dai Li in trying to arrest him back when he was living in the streets.

The teens walked through the hall together before Toph announced that she was going to bed.

"Didn't get your full twenty hours of sleep?" asked Sokka in a joking manner. His nose had finally stopped bleeding. There were light brown smudges on his face from where the blood was.

"Ha ha. Just remember Snoozles, wake me and it'll be the last thing you ever do."

Sokka turned to Zuko and rolled his eyes while Toph walked to her bedroom. He noticed the scroll in Zuko's belt

"What's with the scroll?" he asked

"It's a waterbending scroll." said Zuko. "I'm giving it to Katara." He realized that they were closeby Katara's room. "I'll just give it to her now before going to bed."

The boys reached Katara's door and Zuko raised a hand to knock when he heard Katara's voice.

"No, don't do that!" she yelled from the inside of her room, "Stop-"

A crash was heard and the boys looked alarmed. They threw open the door and ran inside the room, ready for an attack they thought was happening only to see Katara looking surprised at their entrance and holding a babbling baby boy in her arms. Momo held onto Zuko's head when he saw the infant but when he noticed the bowl of leechee nuts he immediately jumped off the firebender's shoulder and bounded over to the food to stuff his face.

"Uh, come in?" she said. She put the baby down and he wobbled around the room as if he was still used to using his legs.

"We heard you shouting and there was a crash." Sokka explained.

"Oh Tom-Tom was pulling on my table cloth and my basin fell off and broke." She pointed at the shards on the floor that was once her water basin. The baby was walking toward the broken glass on the floor. "Tom-Tom no!" Katara rushed over to the baby.

Sokka looked confused "Tom-Tom?"

"This is Mai's little brother." Katara explained to him while she picked up the glass with a towel.

"Mai's here?" asked Zuko happily. He had befriended the constantly bored girl before she left to Omashu to be with her family.

Katara nodded. "Her family is here on vacation."

"How cool would it be if Aang and Ty Lee came back?" asked Sokka, "Then we'd all be together again."

"It might take a few days for them to come back. They are traveling around the world after all."

"I know. I was just saying."

"So where were you guys last night?"

Sokka and Zuko looked at each other. They hadn't told Katara where they were going the night before and they knew they couldn't tell her because she wouldn't approve.

"We just left to pick up some stuff." said Zuko. He pulled out the scroll and handed it to Katara. "This is for you."

Katara took the scroll and opened it curiously and smiled widely.

"It's amazing!" she said. She rolled it back up and kissed Zuko. "It must have cost a fortune!"

"Actually you could say that it was a _steal._" said Sokka. Zuko resisted his urge to trod on the Water Tribe prince's toes.

Katara put the waterbending scroll on her vanity table. "I just remembered, Iroh needs to discuss something important over dinner tonight."

"Is something up?" asked Zuko

"It concerns you."

"I'm in trouble aren't I?"

Katara giggled. "No. You're going to be so happy when he tells you the news."

"What's going on?"

"I promised Iroh I'd keep it a secret."

"How come you get to know and I don't?" demanded Sokka.

"Because I'm more capable of keeping secrets." Katara said simply.

Sokka opened his mouth to object to that but then closed it and shrugged. Katara made a face when she noticed the dried blood on her brother's face.

"What happened to your face?" she asked.

"Toph hit me on the nose."

Katara bended the water out of the air and put it on a towel to make it wet.

"Did you wake her up?" she asked, handing her brother the wet towel to wipe off the dried blood.

"Yup."

Zuko smirked. "The great warrior Sokka can laugh in the face of danger and Death but when it comes to sleeping thirteen year olds..."

"Oh ha ha. Says the guy who can't even beat said thirteen year old girl in a sparring match."

"Touche."

"Sokka, you know how Toph fights." said Katara, "She has that advantage of knowing where Zuko's foot is going to go next."

"Well she knows it isn't going to be kicking her butt."

Zuko and Katara rolled their eyes at Sokka's lame joke.

"I'm gonna go get something to eat." he said before exiting the room, leaving Zuko and Katara alone. Only they weren't completely alone since Tom-Tom was still inside and so was Momo. The baby now noticed Momo's tail and started crawling over to it.

"Don't listen to Sokka." said Katara. She took Zuko's hand in her own. "You're a great fighter. I mean you defeated Ozai and Azula, saved the Fire Nation, and rescued a princess." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're a hero."

"That's me." he said. "Ready for anything."

They leaned toward each other to kiss when they heard a screech and a crash. They looked around and saw Momo trying to fly away from Tom-Tom but the baby was holding tightly onto the lemur's tail. The bowl of leechee nuts was on the floor and it's contents were in different directions.

* * *

"Help! Please guard help!"

A female guard hurried into the cell and saw Azula in the corner of her cell with her knees to her chest and crying. Her clothes were more torn than they were before and she was holding her side.

"What's wrong Princess Azula?" asked the guard.

"A man came in here and attacked me!" cried Azula. "He used firebending on me!" She pointed at a scorch mark on the wall.

"Did he burn you?"

Azula nodded and pointed at her side. The guard rushed forward and opened the cage door. She knelt down and lifted a hand to move Azula's out of the way so that she would inspect the wound. Before he hand touched Azula's the princess firebended at the guard. The guard was knocked backwards, hit the wall, and lost consciousness. Azula smiled at how her plan was working so far. She ran out of her cage and to the cell door to check if anyone was coming. When she saw that the corridor was deserted her smile widened. She shut the door though leaving it open an inch so that she would be able to leave. She took off her rags and pulled the guard uniform off the outcold guard. She put on the uniform and put the rags on the guard. She had the guard lay on her side with her back to the door so that if any more guards looked through the small window of the small door they wouldn't see her face. Azula took the guard's keys and handcuffs, put on the guard helmet, and left the cell.

By the time any of the guards would notice Azula escaped, she would be long gone from the prison.


	4. The Unwanted Visitor

I am so sorry that I haven't been updating lately :( could you guys ever forgive me?

disclaimer - I don't own ATLA nor do I own Aladdin and its sequels though I do own a kitkat bar which I am currently om nom noming on right now :D

* * *

Thanks to the stolen guard uniform, Azula was able to sneak out of the palace easily. She couldn't risk attacking Iroh, Zuko, the Water Tribe siblings, or Toph. She didn't have enough power and she was alone. In order to take back what she felt was rightfully hers, she needed to find someone strong, someone cunning, someone powerful, someone like...Ozai. She cursed Zuko for getting rid of the lamp; she had no idea where he had it hiddin or if he had it destroyed. Anger surged through her at the thought. A nearby person talking caused her anger to disappear and she looked around for the source of the familiar voice. It was the Water Tribe boy Sokka. With him were the earthbender Toph and, anger filled Azula again, the scarred Zuko. The group were wearing peasant clothes to disguise themselve and were standing by a food stall getting something to eat.

"I can't believe Iroh told Sugar Queen what the surprise is but not me!" Azula heard Toph say to her friends, annoyance was on the earthbender's face.

"It's too bad Aang and Ty Lee won't be back tonight," Azula heard Sokka say to his friends, "It would seem like perfect timing."

So, the genie and Ty Lee were gone. The fire princess smiled when a plan formed in her mind and ran to a nearby dark alley to remove the armor. It was lucky she had also taken the under shirt and pants from the guard so then she wouldn't have needed to go in public in undergarments. She put her hand in a fist and blue fire formed around it. Taking a deep breath and biting her lip to keep from screaming, hit her arm with the blue fire. Pain shot up her arm as the fire burned into her flesh. When she was finished she ripped off the bottom of her shirt, revealing her stomach, and wrapped the fabric around her arm to stop the bleeding. Hiding the armor with some garbage, Azula walked out of the alley and stood a few feet behind the group so that when they turned she would be noticeable. From behind, she could see the earthbender stiffen.

"What is it Toph?" Zuko asked the earthbender

"We have company." she answered and turned to point at Azula.

The boys looked shocked at their visitor. "Azula!" they exclaimed.

The fire princess put on a worried face and started speaking in a convincing tone of hysteria.

"I'm so happy I found you!" she said. She was about to take a step forward when Zuko got into a bending stance.

"Not an inch closer..." he warned.

"How did you escape?" Sokka demanded, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"I was attacked in my cell and I was barely able to escape." she sniffed and showed the group her bandaged arm. "I really need your help!" This sentence tasted like poison in her mouth but if she wanted her plan to work she had to ask for help, even if it had to resort to begging though she prayed that she wouldn't need to stoop that low.

Sokka looked speechless.

"Help? You?"

"I would be eternally grateful."

"_Help_? _You_?"

Toph got into a bending stance also. "You're not fooling anyone, Azula. I may not be able to use my earthbending to see if you're lying but I don't even need my feet to know you are!"

Azula tried to keep her anger under control. "I'm telling the truth!"

"After years of being mocked and spat on by you, you actually expect us to help you?" Sokka asked disbelievingly

"Name one nice thing you ever did for us." Toph challenged

"If it weren't for me my dear brother wouldn't have ended up with his one true love!" It took all of Azula's willpower to not throw up after saying that.

"You may be my sister, but your also the one who gave me this." Zuko angrily points at the scar that covered the entire left side of his face.

"I didn't have a choice!" Azula put her hands over her face and pretended to cry, "I was being controlled by Father's power. I had no free will!"

"You're lying!" Zuko threw a fireball at the girl but she quickly waved her arm to the side to keep the flames from hurting her. The prince ran to the princess and started attacking her, causing many people to stop what they were doing to watch. Unfortunately, the onlookers weren't exactly pleasant ones. Not too far away a group of sandbenders were trying to sell off whatever they had left from their raid after Sokka, Zuko, and Toph had stolen all the valuables. One of the sandbenders was the leader Gashuin.

One of the sandbenders nudged the leader. "Hey Gashuin, those guys look familiar to?" He was pointing at Toph and Sokka.

Gashuin narrowed his eyes at the sight of the two and stood up.

"It's payback time." he said before walking toward Toph and Sokka. His gang of sandbenders followed.

* * *

uh oh spaghettios :P Oh and I'm sorry that I left out Iago's song but I just didn't think it really fit in


	5. IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!

IMPORTANT: Fan-fiction is still deleting stories than contain yaoi, yuri, lemons, violence, stories based on songs, and any detailed sex scenes…so…just about every story on the site. Most everyone knows of the petition going around. If you haven't signed it, the link is on DarkHeartInTheSky's profile. But there is more we can do.

I'm organizing a Black Out Day. On June 23rd(according to GTM timing, so that we know we're doing it together), do NOT go onto fan-fiction. Don't read, don't review, don't message your friends, don't update. If enough people participate, then the site will notice, and will realize we take our stories seriously.

Please spread the word any way you can, in any fandom! And let me know if you're going to join. The motto is "Unleash Your Imagination." How can we if we're being given a LONG list of what we cannot write?

June 23rd. Remember it. Please.


	6. IT'S ALIVE!

Finally after a year and a half I have updated! :) I'm so sorry for not updating sooner, I already have too many stories going on right now, more than I can even handle. I will do my best to update as much as I can! :)

* * *

Zuko and Azula fought ferociously against each other, neither showing weakness or backing down despite them not being so evenly matched.

"You stay here," Sokka told Toph. "I'm going to get the guards!"

She grabbed his arm before he could rush off. "No way! I'm coming with you!"

"Someone has to stay here to help Zuko. We can't risk Azula escaping."

The earthbender reluctantly let go of his arm and crossed her arms across her chest. "Fine." She muttered. "Make it quick, I don't want to break her leg...mostly." She grinned evilly.

"Be careful." Before he could run off the earth under their feet shifted and he and Toph fell on the ground along with Zuko and Azula.

"What just happened?" Zuko asked Sokka and Toph.

"Toph did you do that?" Sokka asked the younger girl.

Toph shook her head. She pressed her hand against the ground and her eyes widened. "It was them!" She pointed to the side...at a group of sandbenders.

Recognizing the leader Gashuin, Sokka's eyes widened too. "They found us."

"Where's our loot?" One of the sandbenders demanded.

"What are you talking about?" Toph asked, playing dumb. "What loot?"

"You're not foolin' anybody." Another sandbender said angrily. "I'd recognize that idiot with the ponytail anywhere!"

"It's payback time!" Gashuin yelled out before bending a large sand whip at them. Before Toph could defend herself and Sokka, Zuko ran in front of them and created a fire shield to protect them.

"Back off!" Zuko warned the sandbenders.

All the sandbenders save for Gashuin backed off when they saw the scarred firebender. The leader of the sandbenders narrowed his eyes at Zuko who glared back. Gashuin recognized that voice...

"The Blue Spirit..." He snarled and sent a large sandwave at Zuko. The others did the same to Sokka and Toph. The blind earthbender bended some earth in front of herself and Sokka to protect themselves. Azula and Zuko created another fire shield to protect themselves. Gashuin turned to two of his sandbenders and pointed at Azula. "You two get her. I got blue face here." He cracked his knuckles and two of the sandbenders ran at Azula who immediately threw a large blue fireball at them.

The two sandbenders blocked the fireball with a sand wall and pushed the sand towards her, making tentacles with the sand and grabbing her ankles. She quickly used her firebending to free herself from the tentacles.

"How _dare_ you?!" She yelled and charged up lightning.

The sandbenders looked at her in shock. "WHAT IN THE-"

Azula shot the lightning at them and they quickly bended up another wall of sand. This time, however, her attack broke through the wall and narrowly missed them.

"I didn't sign up for this!" One of the sandbenders yelled out before he and his companion ran off.

"We gotta help Zuko!"

Toph grabbed Sokka's arm again. "He'll be okay Sokka. Besides, I think we should be helping ourselves first." She pointed at the three remaining sandbenders. The three sandbenders made compressed sand orbs and launched them at the two. Toph bended up an earth shield again and launched it at the sandbenders. They quickly jumped out of the way and the earth hit a cabbage cart.

"NO! MY CABBAGES!"

One of the sandbenders created a sand gauntlet and ran at Sokka to punch him only to be immediately sunk up to his neck into the ground by Toph. The other two sandbenders trapped her in a large mound of sand and hardened it so she could barely move. Sokka pulled out his sword and charged at them.

"Let her go!" He yelled.

Gashuin launched stream of sand at Zuko who dodged the attack and punched fireballs at him. The leader raised a sand shield to block the fireballs. He threw the shield at Zuko's feet, locking him to the ground. Gashuin smirked. "What now punk?"

Zuko tried to pull his feet free from the ground but they were stuck. He pulled out his swords and tried to slice them through the dirt to break himself free but it had little effect. Gashuin chuckled and pulled out a knife.

"You're finished!" He ran at Zuko who quickly raised his swords to defend himself. He could hear Toph and Sokka yell out his name.

There was a flash of lightning and Gashuin was knocked back. He looked at his knife which was now charred because of the lightning. Everyone looked over at Azula who's finger tips were smoking from shooting the lightning.

Using the distraction, Sokka ran at the sandbender again and swung his sword across the sandbender's chest, missing by barely an inch. Caught off guard, the sandbender backed away and tried to bend at Sokka but the Water Tribe warrior didn't give him the chance. This caused the sandbender to lose his grip on Toph and she started to free herself. Zuko pulled his feet free and started to rush over to help his friends but Azula beat him to it. She launched multiple fireballs at both the sandbenders, being careful not to hit Sokka or Toph. This broke the focus of both sandbenders and Toph was completely free. The sandbenders, including Gashuin, were looking at the fire princess in fear. "Leave." She ordered. "Now." Two of the sandbenders scrambled away but before Gashuin could get to his feet-

"What is going on here?!" They looked around and saw Long Feng with some of his Dai Li agents. Next to them was an older man who was glaring at the teens and hopping on his feet impatiently.

"They're the ones you want!" He pointed at them. "Those are the hoodlums who destroyed my precious cabbages!"

Long Feng glared at Zuko, Toph, and Sokka before looking down at Gashuin. His eyes narrowed more but he smirked. "Well if it isn't Gashuin, the leader of those sandbending savages." He turned to the Dai Li. "Arrest him."

Gashuin quickly got to his feet and bended a large amount of sand into the air to provide some cover as he ran off.

"You won't be so lucky next time!" He yelled out. The Dai Li chased after him.

Zuko and Sokka turned to look at Azula who had stayed where she was.

"Still think I'm on Ozai's side?" She asked.

Sokka and Zuko looked at each other before looking back at Azula disbelievingly. She rolled her eyes.

"You know I didn't have to save you peasants, I could have just saved myself."

"Then why did you?" Demanded Toph.

"I wanted to right some wrongs."

Sokka looked at the fire prince again. "What do you think Zuko?"

The scarred teen continued to glare at Azula for a few moments before sighing and lowering his head.


	7. Royal Protocol

disclaimer: I don't own Avatar The Last Airbender or Return of Ozai

* * *

"Why? Why, why, why, _why_ are you letting her come with us?" Sokka continued to complain after just a few minutes Zuko agreed to try to give Azula a chance. The fire princess was behind them in a cloak Zuko just bought with the hood up to hid her face.

Zuko rubbed the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "Sokka, would you please just shut up!"

"I have to agree with Sokka on this one Zuko." Said Toph. "After everything she did to us, why would you even consider trusting her?"

"I _don't_ trust her. She saved our lives, I don't really have much of a choice."

"What the heck are you talking about?"

It was Azula who answered his question. "It's Royal Protocol."

"Was I asking you?" Sokka asked her sarcastically.

She rolled her eyes. "You asked a question, and I answered. Royal protocol states that anyone who saves a member of the royal family, even if it was unintentional, then the debt must be repaid, whether said royal wants to or not."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

"It may be stupid, but it's true." He pulled a little book out of his pocket and tossed it to Sokka who opened it and read it. When he finished his eyes widened. He handed the book back to Zuko.

"There should _really_ be an exception..." Sokka muttered as they continued to make their way to the palace.

* * *

When they made it to the palace Zuko snuck Azula inside through a secret entrance that his Uncle Iroh had shown him while Sokka and Toph went through the regular entrance.

"I'll need to hide you in one of the spare rooms." Zuko informed her. "It's too risky to put you in your room." He opened a door to one of the empty rooms. It was as comfortable as her old bedroom only it wasn't decorated to her liking; there weren't any pictures or books or her weapons. "I'll talk to Uncle Iroh about giving you your second chance. I'm sure after I tell him about the marketplace today he'll consider it."

Azula rolled her eyes. "Good luck with that. And how are you going to keep this a secret with the big mouth Water Tribe savage and the blind girl knowing this too?"

Zuko glared. "Their names are Sokka and Toph. And they're not going to say anything." _At least Toph isn't..._ "Just stay in here until then. I'll get you food later tonight."

"And what am I supposed to do in here?" She demanded, crossing her arms and giving him an annoyed look. "There aren't even any books in here!"

"Try not to burn anything!"

Azula glared at Zuko as he quickly shut the door behind him. She heard him lock the door and rolled her eyes.

_Like a lock can keep me in this room._

* * *

"This is a bad idea..."

"Sokka I heard you the first five times..."

"Just making sure you knew that."

"So how do we tell Katara and Iroh?" Toph asked Zuko. Sokka gave them an annoyed look which they ignored. The three of them were walking through the corridor, looking for Fire Lord Iroh. Zuko was hoping to get a head start on trying to convince him to give Azula a second chance.

"No idea." Answered Zuko. "This isn't exactly something we can flat out tell them...We're going to have to prepare them for it."

"Hey guys!"

Zuko, Toph, and Sokka immediately stopped talking when they heard Katara's voice. She was coming out of a room, wearing a formal Water Tribe robe.

"I was looking everywhere for you," She told them. She gave Zuko on the cheek. "Where were you guys?"

"We uh..."

"We went to the market place for a bit." answered Sokka. Zuko quietly sighed in relief at Sokka's somewhat honest answer.

"Oh, I wish I could have gone with you, Mai only _just_ taken Tom-Tom off my hands." She looked at Zuko. When she saw how nervous he was looking she frowned and took his hand. "Is something wrong?" She asked.

"Everything's fine." Zuko answered a little too quickly.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "You're not hiding anything from me, are you? Like more secrets?"

Zuko tried to relax himself. "Of course not, Katara." He gently squeezed her hand. "I almost lost you once that way. I'll never make that mistake again." He gave her a soft smile which she returned. She leaned to kiss him when Sokka cleared his throat.

"Sorry to interrupt, but do you know where Iroh is?"

"He's actually in a meeting right now." answered Katara, looking annoyed that her brother interrupted them. "He won't be available until dinner."

They suddenly heard a loud groan coming from above and looked up to see something big, white, and hairy with horns on its head and a long slightly flat tail. The creature had two passengers on it.

"That's Appa!" Yelled out Sokka.

"Aang and Ty Lee are back!"


End file.
